Tele Columbus buys up small networks

Tele Columbus, the third largest German cable network operator, significantly expanded its network portfolio in April and May 2015 with the acquisition of various small operators and cable networks:

As part of several transactions, over 30,000 connected households in Eastern Germany and Lower Saxony have been taken on. Most of the households already have two-way capability and are therefore technically equipped for the provision of Internet and telephony telecommunication services via cable connection. The connection of the new holdings to the company’s signal feed now enables Tele Columbus to extend the product range for the supplied customers in those networks and at the same time increase the marketing potential for its product spectrum of analogue, digital and HD TV as well as high-speed Internet and telephone services.

By acquiring these additional stocks, Tele Columbus is supporting its company objective to maintain the customer base at the existing high level of around 1.7 million connected households or to expand it – and on this basis, increase the number of products booked by marketing additional services. In the medium term, Tele Columbus intends to supply every customer with an average of 1.7 services, such as cable TV, premium TV and an Internet or phone connection. In order to achieve this, 70 per cent of the network portfolio shall be upgraded to two-way capability within the same time frame and connected to the company’s signal feed.

“The consolidation of the German cable market continues – and, as the third largest German provider, Tele Columbus plays an important role in this,” says Ronny Verhelst, CEO of the Tele Columbus Group. “In addition to growing our product lines, we will continue to use our financial flexibility to tap into the enormous potential created by the merge of cable networks. In doing so, however, we are not investing at any price, only where – from an economic and strategic perspective – we can foreseeably create maximum added value for the company, our housing industry partners and our investors.”